Mar 05, 2010 i recently answered a linkedin question about whether providing software as a service saas is considered a distribution under the opensource gnu general public license. Is hosting a software as a saas offering considered as distribution under gpl. Stallman is such a control freak about his particular vision of software freedom that he. Jul 11, 20 the weapon of choice that the movement developed and deployed to respond to the unique challenges imposed by the emerging cloudbased saas environment was the affero gplv3 agplv3, which covers popular applications such as phpfusion, launchpad and sugarcrm.
Gplv3 also removed the final sentence of gplv2 section 7, which the fsf consider to be unnecessary. We recommend that people consider using the gnu agpl for any software which will commonly be run over a network. While saas implementations allow the use of the functionality of software, it does not normally result in the distribution of the software itself. This means that there is no problem with using lgpl libraries in a closedsource saas project. However, the language of the license text was strongly amended and is much more comprehensive in response to technical and legal changes and. Gpl and lgpl open source licensing restrictions stack. Gplv3 has adjusted the definition of system library to include software that may not come directly with the operating system, but that all users of the software can reasonably be expected to have. Software as a service by providing for situations in which software is accessible for use over a network, the new license reflects the growing trend toward software as a service saas. The free software foundation few days ago released the gnu general public license version 3, as earlier draft versions it doesnt fix the saas loophole, leaving unhappy some entrepreneurs a substantial hole, by rich. Any modifications of this code base must be distributed with the same license, gplv3. The new gpl is based on the gnu gplv3 but includes terms to let users access source code for software accessed over a network. Tim oreilly addresses this while making yet another argument for.
Can i use the gplv3 license for my commercial application. Lets say i have a saas web app that users can purchase a monthly subscription to and access. While i have already expressed my concerns commenting others posts, i believe it is time to tell it. You may discover, however that these terms do not work so well in your favor, since one of the terms prevents you from a. Gpl, also known as copyleft, grants permission to reuse or modify the source code to make derivative works, but if you distribute your program to others, it requires you to license your derivative work under the gpl too. The second version agplv2 was published in november 2007, as a transitional license to allow an upgrade path from.
Jun 29, 2007 the gnu general public license is a free, copyleft license for software and other kinds of works. Gplv3 of june 29, 2007 contains the basic intent of gplv2 and is an open source license with a strict copyleft what types of licenses are there for open source software, and how do they differ. The free software foundation has approved the affero gpl for software as a service applications, reports e commerce news. The gpl saas loophole made headlines around the time the agpl was released. In a nutshell, it is the ability of running gplv2 software as a service saas without returning any changes to the community, because distribution of software as a service. The question of usage is a little more complicated. Saas use of opensource software is not distribution who gnu. Effects of cloud computing on opensource compliance. Apache 2 software can therefore be included in gplv3 projects, because the gplv3 license accepts our software into gplv3 works. Eben on gplv3 and saas someone just asked eben moglen about why gplv3 didnt stick to its original intention to apply the gpl to distribution on the web, by which i mean distribution of software. You can license your commercial application under the gplv3 license as long as you comply with the terms of the gplv3 license.
Users can access the applications over the internet via a web browser and additional software. The article concludes that while this is the right decision, it places real limits on the longterm significance of the gpl. If youre known by the enemies you keep, then software as a service received a boost the other day when it was bashed by richard stallman, the freesoftware gnuru. However be aware that if you or the company ever make changes to the software and want to distribute it, it must be distributed with full source code, on the same license terms as the original software. Gplv3 and software as a service free software foundation. In the article, analyst laura didio points out how the new gpl reflects a growing trend toward saas.
Jun 24, 2008 open source, gpl and saas one of them is the ability to make good use of gpled software. Revised versions of the gnu lesser general public license. The free software foundation may publish revised andor new versions of the gnu lesser general public license from time to time. Xcart is an opensource shopping cart software that gracefully handles large product catalogs while still keeping. This has not been a strategical decision, neither a tactic one, but the only available now. The licenses are incompatible in one direction only, and it is a result of asfs licensing philosophy and the gplv3 authors interpretation of law. The gplv3 covers tivoisation this is a new term invented by the fsf, which is not used as is in the gplv3 meaning that it prevents hardware providers to adapt free software in order to implement and lock a. I went looking for the provision they had in the last draft, the one that closes the gplv2 asp loophole that forced me to create hpl. The free software foundation may publish revised and or new versions of the gnu lesser general public license from time to time. However, gplv3 software could only be combined and share code with gplv2 software if the gplv2 license used had the optional or later clause and the software was upgraded to gplv3. At a regular closedsource software company, you cant include any software in your products that you get from the web which carries the gpl gnu public license, because this license requires all derived works to also use the gpl and be open source. However, it is allowed to switch from the gplv3, to a variant, the affero. We recommend that people consider using the gnu agpl for any.
Software as a service and gnu gpl licensing is not complex, the motto of the license is for disallowing the softwares to control the users and modify, distribute, develop, use the softwares with full freedom along with the other points written in the license. The software author or license can not be held liable for any damages inflicted by the software. The licenses were originally written by richard stallman, former head of the free software foundation fsf, for the gnu project, and grant the recipients of a computer program the rights of the free software. Last night, i read the last draft of gplv3 on my cell phone during dinner in orlando. However you must make available the sources to the software. The free software foundation on monday published the gnu affero general public license version 3, a version of the gnu gplv3 designed specifically for networkoriented free software. Jul 12, 2007 free software vendors allied to these users joined in their objections, as did a number of free software developers arguing on ethical as well as practical grounds. Thus saas is an allowed usage, not an attack vector. Open source licenses grant permission for anybody to use, modify, and share licensed software for any purpose, subject to conditions preserving the provenance and openness of the software. Weve built a company with exceptional people who are passionate about ecommerce. Fsf approves affero gpl for saas apps business linuxinsider. Using full gpl libraries in software as a service saas. While the gplv2 or any later version clause is considered by fsf as the most common form of licensing gplv2 software, 44 toybox developer rob landley described.
I recently answered a linkedin question about whether providing software as a service saas is considered a distribution under the opensource gnu general public license. May 12, 2015 software as a service and gnu gpl licensing is not complex, the motto of the license is for disallowing the softwares to control the users and modify, distribute, develop, use the softwares with full freedom along with the other points written in the license. The fsf had contemplated adding the ability to run softwareasaservice saas to gplv3, but chose instead to release the separate licence. A quick guide to gplv3 gnu project free software foundation. The original gpl treats software as a service as a private use of software, which means users could keep their changes private as well, yankee group analyst. However, the language of the license text was strongly amended and is much more comprehensive in response to technical and legal changes and international license exchange. Some experts said it wasnt really needed, while others wondered whether it served the commercial giants of software over the open source community and smaller, younger businesses. Nov 21, 2007 the free software foundation has published a new opensource software license aimed at developers whose code is used for software asaservice. Saas use of opensource software is not distribution who. Tim oreilly has an interesting post on why the gplv3 took a pragmatic approach when it came to the saas loophole i. I am trying to figure out once and for all how the gplv3 interacts with web applications, specifically saas applications. As far as the regular gpl and lgpl are concerned, providing access to use your software over a network like in saas is not considered distribution. Since gpl requires providing access to source code, and agplv3 section is an additional condition specifically added to plug the loophole in saaslike software, does not it imply that agplv3 also requires providing source code access, irrespective of whether it is modified or not.
The gnu general public license gnu gpl or gpl is a series of widely used free software licenses that guarantee end users the freedom to run, study, share, and modify the software. The free software foundation considers the apache license, version 2. The gpl faq has already been updated with additional information, and well continue to improve it over the next few weeks. The final text of gplv3 is accompanied with a rationale document explaining the few changes since the last call draft. Open source licensing for software as a service ross. This license is based on gplv3 with a new requirement to ensure that users who interact with the software over a network can receive the source for that program. The software freedom law center provides practical advice for developers about including permissively licensed source.
The affero general public license affero gpl and informally affero license is a free software license. Jul, 2007 a number of people is are happy with the gplv3, but i am not. Fsf approves affero gpl for saas apps business ecommerce. Open source came before, if not provided a platform for, software as a service. Effects of cloud computing on opensource compliance linux. Originally we referred to this problematical practice as saas, which stands for software as a service. Therefore, the functionality of software licensed under the gpl could be made available to users without being required to provide source code, modify the code, or allow further distribution. The agplv3 is based on version 3 of the gpl but includes an additional terms to allow users who interact with the licensed software over a network to receive the source code for that program. After a year and a half of public consultation, thousands of comments, and four drafts, version 3 of the gnu general public license was finally published on june 29, 2007.
The following licenses are sorted by the number of conditions, from most gnu agplv3 to none unlicense. The vouchers have no expiration date so if just one voucher is redeemed after suse releases any gplv3 ed software then all recipients of that gplv3 ed software are safe from any microsoft patent attacks. However, it is allowed to switch from the gplv3, to a variant, the affero gplv3 agplv3 that covers saas like the eupl. Gpl and lgpl open source licensing restrictions stack overflow. However, gplv3 software cannot be included in apache projects. Gplv3 licensing and softwareasaservice web apps software. Its a widely held belief that you cant mix gpl code and code covered by other open source licenses. Mar 29, 2007 gplv3 and software as a service by brett smith contributions published on mar 29, 2007 09. The first version of the affero general public license agplv1, was published by affero, inc. The vouchers have no expiration date so if just one voucher is redeemed after suse releases any gplv3ed software then all recipients of that gplv3ed software are safe from any microsoft patent attacks. Software licensed with any gnu license can be used and even modified everywhere, including in a corporate environment, without any restrictions. Nov 20, 2007 the fsf had contemplated adding the ability to run software asaservice saas to gplv3, but chose instead to release the separate licence.
The licenses for most software and other practical works are designed to take away your freedom to share and change the works. The free software foundation has published a new opensource software license aimed at developers whose code is used for softwareasaservice. But the affero gpl agpl license is one exception that takes a different approach. Since gpl requires providing access to source code, and agplv3 section is an additional condition specifically added to plug the loophole in saas like software, does not it imply that agplv3 also requires providing source code access, irrespective of whether it is modified or not. The free software foundation today released the second discussion draft of the gnu affero general public license gnu agpl.
Tim oreilly addresses this while making yet another argument for open data. The big news in free software land is the patent peace deal between microsoft and novell and the suse vouchers microsoft is planning to sell. What is the difference between gpl, agpl and lgpl licenses. Its a commonly used term for setting up software on a server rather than offering copies of it to users, and we thought it described precisely the cases where this problem occurs. I havent been able to find a concrete answer about this. The weapon of choice that the movement developed and deployed to respond to the unique challenges imposed by the emerging cloudbased saas environment was the affero gplv3 agplv3, which covers popular applications such as phpfusion, launchpad and sugarcrm. Gplv3 and software as a service by brett smith contributions published on mar 29, 2007 09. Jul 24, 2018 the gpl saas loophole made headlines around the time the agpl was released. By contrast, the gnu general public license is intended to guarantee your freedom to share and change all versions of a. Saas applications are often located on servers in data centers and used for services such as email. Indeed, gplv3 uses the term convey rather than distribute, precisely to clarify that saas use does not trigger any license requirements.